Lund,
Sweden & New York, NY – March 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Let’s
consider a familiar scene: You’ve just rolled your luggage into the hotel
lobby after a long trip. As you eye the line at the front desk you silently
hope the check-in process will be swift, so you can freshen up and get
settled. After a pleasant exchange with the staff, you take your room key
and head up towards your suite. Inserting the key card into the slot, you
wait to hear the affirmative click and push the door open. Only, that click
doesn’t happen — instead, you’re greeted with a blinking red light.

Your
room key isn’t working and your initial perception of the hotel has been
tarnished. |This
is something we have all experienced at some time, and while traditional
room keys are by no means nearing total extinction, mobile keyless technology
has been making significant waves within the hospitality landscape. Modern
guests, especially those of the millennial generation and younger, are
continuously demonstrating a desire for increased mobile functionality
and convenience. This desire conceptualizes in the form of integrated hotel
apps, mobile check-in, and mobile keys, just to name a few. In fact, it
is reported that guests using a digital key generally rate a hotel seven
points higher than keycard guests.

Of
course, there is a wide selection of mobile key applications available
to today’s hotelier looking to stay competitive. So, the question becomes,
how do you determine which one is right for your hotel?

1.
Integration is Key

The
mobile door-lock technology you install can’t work unless you have compatible
hardware on your door locks. With this in mind, when considering door lock
application providers, ensure that their technology integrates with all
the leading door lock companies. If this seamless integration is lacking,
some mobile lock formats could require you to replace the whole door lock,
which isn’t cost effective.

Also,
in order to leverage the mobile key system as fully as possible, you may
also need to integrate it with other sources of information. That means
you need to ensure the application also integrates with the property management
system your hotel currently has in place.

When
it comes to embracing mobile key technology, seamless integration should
be at the top of your list.

2.
Perfect the Basics

Efficiency
should always be top of mind, and new technology will not be readily embraced
if it doesn’t perform its primary function flawlessly. While ‘bells and
whistles’ can provide an exciting boost to guest engagement and revenue
generation, nothing is more important than the delivery of the core functionality.

Does
the lock and unlock function work every time, without any glitch? Is it
reliable and highly secure? Does it require the guest to be within 5 feet
of the door to their suite, or closer? Does the unlock function work quickly,
or does it take a few tries before it registers? Does the app enhance the
mobile experience, allowing the guest to effectively bypass lines and receive
notifications/alerts tailored to their preferences? Is there a user friendly
management tool for the system which includes dashboards, configuration,
automation and analytics? Does it have strong security to ensure that the
lock can’t be hacked?

Also,
keep in mind that introducing a new technology can be tricky – and even
more so if that technology is not intuitive as to how you currently work.
Consider an intuitive mobile key system that your team can quickly get
up to speed with – and is backed by expert support when you need it.

These
are all key components you need to consider when determining which mobile
key technology provider is the best fit for your hotel.

3.
Is it Future-Friendly?

It
is critical to invest in technology which demonstrates a clear grasp on
the future of guest engagement; from reservations, pre-arrival messages,
mobile check-in, and access to a hotel room with a mobile key, to offers,
upgrades, and mobile check-out. While the perfection of the ‘basics’ may
rule in terms of priority, guest expectations are always evolving and embracing
new trends. With this in mind, determine if the technology you are considering
has the capacity for advanced capabilities – and available on all platforms.
This could range from the functionality of hosting a digital key on more
than one device, smart-watch compatibility, mobile concierge to ensure
guests aren’t missing the personal touch traditionally received from front
desk staff upon check-in, and more.

The
mobile key technology you choose today, will stay with you for many years
to come. Make sure you choose a future-proof system that can handle the
extremely rapid developments in usability and functionality on the hospitality
market. What works today may not work for you next year. Or tomorrow. If
your current system isn’t evolving with your hotel’s growth and change,
then it is time to shop the options. Look for mobile key technology partner
that has the flexibility to grow and change with your needs. It’s what
we like to call ‘Future-Friendly’.|

|About
the AuthorMr.
Magnus Friberg has served as Chief Executive Officer of Zaplox AB since
2013 and he is also Director of the Company. He previously served at Securitas,
responsible for Business Development & Marketing in Europe. He previously
also established the company S Reg with SmartSafety concept.

About
Zaplox: A leading provider of advanced mobile key services to the global
hotel market.Zaplox
operates globally, offering the hospitality industry a turnkey platform,
including a mobile key app or SDK (Software Development Kit) for managing
the guest experience, based on a secure and efficient mobile key system.
With mobile technology, Zaplox offers hotels and their guests more value
by a better way of checking in and out, and by distribution of mobile keys
directly to the guests’ smartphones. The system saves time and costs, and
gives the hotel a direct communication channel with the guest, thereby
offering possibilities for generating additional revenue. The Zaplox solution
works on all major smartphone platforms, supports all major hotel door
locks and hotel systems, and can replace or coexist with all current keycard
technologies. Zaplox was founded in 2010 at IDEON Science Park in Lund,
Sweden. The solution has been installed and in commercial use since 2011,
with more than two million guest nights. With operations in Europe and
North America, Zaplox offers flexible, customer-oriented support.

Zaplox
is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm First North. Sedermera Fondkommission is
the Certified Adviser.